Coronaview Initiative

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first identified in Wuhan, China, and has since spread to 213 countries and territories around the world, resulting in a pandemic. In order to learn more about how different parts of the world have been coping with the disease, we have partnered with RDFZ Model UN Association to launch the Coronaview Initiative.

For this project, we have...

1. invited young adults and teenagers around the world to participate in an online survey, commenting

on their local situation and their views on precautions and policies against COVID-19

2. interviewed blue-collar workers on their observation of measures taken at the community level, and

how they have been protecting themselves against the COVID-19

3. interviewed owners of small and medium-sized businesses to learn more about the impacts of the

Coronavirus on their livelihoods and what their governments have done to support them

Reports are downloadable below:

Coronaview Survey Report (PDF)

1. SURVEY

Survey Background

The survey was conducted over Google Forms, and publicity was done through various messaging applications and social media. Responses of voluntary surveyees were collected and analyzed. As a result of the means of data collection, a large proportion of surveyees (~69%) are youths aged 16-20. The surveyees are from a large spread of countries, with the 2 highest frequencies being France (12) and Hong Kong (12).

Survey Data Analysis

Question 1 - What measures has your government undertaken to stop the spread of coronavirus?

When asked what measures their countries have implemented, the most frequent responses were closure of public venues (64), school suspension (65) and restrictions of public gatherings (66). This is certainly a good sign and shows that a large proportion of governments are taking measures to prevent large groups clustering at areas. This can certainly effectively combat the virus by reducing its spread.

However, only a small proportion of people indicated that their governments have implemented free tests for new arrivals (25) and free distribution of health supplies (21). These are costly measures that are simply unattainable for some governments, but still crucial to combating COVID-19. Free tests for new arrivals are crucial to preventing imported cases from entering a country, which could be detrimental to countries that currently have a low number of infections. Free health supplies such as masks are important for further limiting the spread of the virus at places such as supermarkets where large groups are found, and necessary to reduce the impacts of irresponsible hoarding behaviour.

Question 2 - On a scale from 1 to 5, how would you rate the effectiveness of these policies?

When asked to rate the degree of effectiveness of their government’s policies from 1-5, the majority of people indicated a moderate to high level of effectiveness of 3, 4 or 5 (82%). This indicates that the various measures implemented by governments around the globe are generally well-perceived by people.

Upon closer inspection of data of individual regions, we found that people living in Asia are generally more satisfied with their government’s policies (Mean: 4.1) as compared to those living in Europe or North America (Mean: 2.7 and 2.8 respectively)

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When asked to elaborate on their responses, some have expressed various concerns about their countries' policies. Common ones are as listed below:

Some do not respect the measures being put in place and still go out for gatherings
Government and non-government organizations delayed the passing of supplies onto citizens
Delayed measures
Failure to close borders

These generally hint at the inefficiency in the execution of certain government measures. It can hence be inferred that while most governments have played a positive role in response to the global pandemic, some of their policies are unable to have its fullest impact on the situation as a result of the respective nations’ internal inefficiencies in execution. Stricter enforcement, such as usage of a direct lockdown, may thus be necessary to prevent further worsening of the situation.

Singapore, for example, adopted strict measures to enforce their policies. Breach of quarantine for those identified as close contacts of current patients can result in a fine of up to 10,000SGD (~7073 USD), a jail term of up to 6 months, or both. Failure to wear a mask can result in a fine of 300SGD (~212 USD) for the first offense, and 1000SGD (~707 USD) for the second offense.

Question 3 - What are some common preventive measures adopted by residents of your country / region?

When asked about the common preventive measures adopted by people in their countries, most people indicated wearing masks, social distancing, and the use of online services. Such measures go hand-in-hand with measures by the government and can further limit community spread.

The results indicate a general public awareness of the situation, as well as the common ways to prevent contracting / spreading COVID-19.

Question 4 - On a scale from 1 to 5, how would you rate the public awareness and adoption of preventive measures by the residents of your country/ region?

When asked to rate the level of public awareness and prevention measures, we received very positive ratings from our survey respondents on the effectiveness of their country’s public awareness and prevention measures. 63% indicated a level of 4 or 5 and 88% indicated a level of at least 3. This provides evidence that the general public around the globe is aware of the seriousness of the pandemic and has adopted preventive measures promptly.

Upon grouping the data according to region of residence, we again see that the level of public awareness and prevention measures is higher in Asia (Mean: 4.5) than Europe and North America (Mean: 3.1 and 3.4 respectively)

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When asked to elaborate on their choice, those who indicated a high level of awareness and preventive measures of 4 or 5 commonly indicated that:

Strict enforcement measures force people to adopt preventive measures
Past experiences of combating the SARS virus incentivized them

Those who indicated a low level of awareness and preventive measures of 1 or 2 commonly indicated that:

People in their society are not used to wearing masks
Some disobey the measures enforced by the government

While public awareness is generally moderate to high, governments can definitely better relate information and measures to their citizens. This greatly increases societal awareness and helps remove the stigma against measures that are proven to decrease the transmission of the virus, such as the wearing of masks.

Question 5 - From your observation, has the coronavirus pandemic given rise to any social problems?

When asked about the social impacts of the coronavirus, our respondents generally indicated a potential economic downturn.

Question 6 - Which country/ region has adopted the best preventive measures to combat the outbreak?

When asked for a country that had the best preventive measures, the 2 highest frequencies of appearance were China (16) and South Korea (10) who leads the third and the fourth, namely Singapore (3) and New Zealand (3) by a wide margin.

Conclusion

COVID-19 is a global pandemic, and effective government responses from all governments are necessary to combat it effectively. From the survey data, most people feel that their governments have been effective in combating COVID-19. However, many have also indicated that more could or should be done about the situation, such as the closure of borders. Such measures would provide for a more effective, well-rounded response to COVID-19.

While all data collected are completely truthful and bias is minimized, the survey does have some shortcomings. As the response was recorded on a voluntary basis and the survey was mainly publicized through social media, inevitable sampling bias is present in the data. We recognize that the survey does over-represent the opinions of youths as a result of feasibility concerns. However, this should not be a major concern as it is safe to assume that our respondents, who are generally active on the internet, are well informed of the matter.